manal | achraf hakimi [COMPLETE]

14.

if you haven't prayed yet, please do so before reading the chapter. the chapter can wait :)

note because i have been told it's not obvious:
i, the author of this book, am NOT moroccan or arab. my knowledge of arab customs come from experience and what i researched by asking friends and people etc. if they do not seem correct or compliant oto you, please do not hesitate to comment.

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4/1/2023 - wow i've updated almost daily :)

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[1782 words] - LOOOONGGG chapter, enjoy

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'achraf, darling, your father and i have decided that it would be best to get a nikah done now and the wedding be done in december.' it was nearly mid august, so he knew that any plans to have a wedding this summer was out of the window.

he didn't care where they got married, or when, he just needed to be the one to marry her. he could not wait any longer.

'as you wish,' he wisely told his mother, who smiled and moved on to talk about some fabrics laila and iman has gotten at the shops. iman was trying on her new dress that she planned on wearing at the engagement party and her mother was making amendments to the length of the sleeves, which were too long.

achraf was half listening, still occupied by the events from earlier. he hadn't told iman what he had walked in on at the school, but he absolutely did not like the way it made him feel.

while he considered himself special that manal chose him out of the many many people that came to ask for her hand in marriage, it also distressed him in a way not known to him before. he remember the way she looked emotionless when handing her the bag, robotic almost. he wondered if it was a regular thing that manal had to deal with.

he knew she was beautiful and intelligent, yet reserved and discreet. he felt panic in thought of what could have happened had he and sufiyane not been there. he suddenly felt guilty for even considering not coming back for her.

once he had gotten started with football professionally, he didn't like sparing her thoughts, thinking of her as a distraction to the end goal of his career. he remembered the first day back when iman told him of an engagement. even the thought of left a bad taste in his mouth. he couldn't believe that he ever considered forgetting her, because even if he tried he wouldn't be able to.

yet, if she was rejecting him at 15 then she must have had no problem rejecting all these men at 19, 20 and 21.

he quickly just gathered that it was fate, because if it wasn't then they would have never met that sunny moroccan afternoon.

his thoughts wandered further and suddenly wondered if her hair was still coily, like before. he remembered running his fingers through her hair, the coils acting like rollers in his hands when they were younger (what am i even writing😭).  he had seen curly hair before, but tight coils were new to him

'achraf!' he was suddenly pulled out of his mini daydream. as per usual, it was iman's fault.

'dreaming about the wife already eh achraf?' iman tapped his head as she walked past him, which had him looking at her annoyed. she was the cause of all his annoyances and the solution of them. she was a double package.

'iman! we do not say such things!' aunt laila looked tired of having to remind her daughter what to say and not to say, but iman just smiled and her eyes crinkled in mischief. she knew she was right, and at last she could outwardly tease him without being chastised.